In prehistoric times, mankind often had only two choices in crisis situations: fight or flee. In modern times, humor offers us a third alternative; fight, flee - or laugh.
Somebody asked me how the present financial crisis affects my business. I just replied good and bad. Good because it made people aware that there is such thing as financial industry. Bad because it's a negative publicity and most Filipinos are suckers of depressing reports and hard to reason with.
The financial crisis definitely affects us. As what Mr. Rex Mendoza said, "When Uncle Sam sneezes, the rest of the world catches cold and a small country like the Philippines gets flu." But I guess the world crisis is the lesser of our worries. The financial experts say this is not the worst, we'll get through this the same way we survived the Asian crisis.
If there's one thing we should be wary about, it's the fact that our financial quotient is way below the passing grade. In a Fin-Q survey, the average Filipino has a "financial intelligence quotient" of only 47.8%. We can dismiss the figure and look the other way as what we always do when the view doesn't fit our expectations, but the truth is the figure is daunting. It could be a symptom of something worse than a mere flu.
I guess it is our upbringing that's at fault. Our parents told us to go to school, get good grades then get a job. So that's exactly what we do, like getting a job is the end-all and be-all. Nobody told us to save, invest and plan for our future. We work, earn, spend, earn more and consequently, spend more. Nothing matters but the needs and wants of the present. Tomorrow can take care of itself. Leave the financial matters to the experts.
Unfortunately, financial planning concerns us more than we care to admit. People hate it because they regard the idea of having emergency fund, healthcare and insurance as pessimistic. People hate it because they look at saving and investing as unnecessary expenses that offers no immediate gratification. We don't want emergencies. We don't want to get sick. And we sure hope not to die. But whether we like it or not, whether we are prepared for it or not, we all grow old and retire someday.
Today, only 2% of the elders are financially free. The 98% are dependent on their meager SSS/GSIS pensions and children, living on charitable institutions or still working. These people did not plan to end this way, they simply failed to make a plan.
My point is, it is foolish to ignore our personal finances and worry about the world's problem. It is stupid to leave the financial matters that directly affect us to chance and get involved in a financial crisis bigger than we can handle. Focus on your own pocket and leave the crisis to the experts. H.G Wells said, "The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow," don't get caught up in a joke.
Also published at:
http://www.bayanihanpost.com/bp/b206-crisis-a-flu-or-a-joke-.html. 
